November 12, 2010

You guys may know how I feel about Sassy. You also may know that I've been babbling about how I think our generation should get one, too. Jane Pratt, founding editor and then EIC of Sassy, also became aware, and emailed me, and we've met a couple times, and it looks like we're going to start a magazine for an audience of teenage girls.

(I am trying so hard to be cool and professional right now.)(Trying. so. hard.)

Of course, it won't be Sassy (or the rebirth of Sassy, or Sassy 2.0) and nor do we want it to be. For one, you can't try to recreate something that good. For another, while I can read old issues of Sassy and relate, the world has changed a bit in the past 15 or so years, and that whole Internet thing happened, and this world calls for something different. Something that will use Sassy as a point of reference for the whole teen-magazine-that-doesn't-suck thing, and something in which Jane Pratt will take part, but something that is not trying to recreate the other something a bunch of us love and don't want to see copied. And, because I didn't use the word "something" enough in this paragraph, let's all enjoy this Beatles Something video in which John and Yoko walk around in a field dressed like Larry David in a cape:

On the note of that whole Internet thing, a great advantage to creating a magazine today is the access to talent and voice. This is supposed to have a "for the people, by the people" kinda vibe. We want to find the best possible group of people for this project, and a wide range of ages, styles, etc.

If you want to be a part, email us. MagazineSubmissionsAreFun@gmail.com, because we haven't decided on a title yet. (Hey, if you have an idea for a title, that would be great, too!) (PS, any submissions sent to my blog email will be deleted.)

Something that would also be great: A sample -- whether you would put the specific sample in the magazine or not -- of your writing of all and any kinds, photos, artwork, whatever you're good at and think would be at home in a feminist, creative, moody-teenage-girl magazine. Be sure to include the sample of your work,your age and location, and some kind of something about yourself. Talk a lot about yourself, please. I can promise no questions about being a team player and why you got fired from your office job. The deadline is Friday, November 19th -- we wanna get moving!

I know these are vague details, and I'm sorry I can't offer up a better picture of what we're aiming for as a final product, but we want to have all the contributors on board from the beginning so the yet-to-be-made decisions are group-made. A few things people have been asking about, though: It is not a full-time job, you can be a guy, you can be any age, and you don't have to live in the U.S. I'm also sorry I can't say as of now when you'll hear back but it all depends on the number of submissions. I have a really good feeling about this.

Hurp-ah-durp Seeing as though I am not a barer of the lady parts, is it still possible to contribute?And I think having a magazine that would hold such great power would do wonders for this generation of ours.

This is so exciting! :D I'd really like to be a part of this but I'm not exactly sure what to do. I'll think of something. If I don't get to be in it I will at least get a subscription. :)Seriously, this is amazing! :D

this is going to be something awesome! i'm not exactly a teenager anymore, as i'll be turning 20 in few months, but i'd like to be part of this. i'll send an email with all relevant things as soon as i can cobble them all together.

Oh wow! I'm so happy- for you too! It sounds like an amazing thing to be part of, and for you to be making a magazine when still in high school- gosh! Well, you may see something in that inbox from me... :)

Even though I'm a bit older it still makes me excited when young people are following their dreams and being successful you should all be way excited it sounds amazing! Congrats Tavi and all who are involved xxx and best of best wisheswinnsomesmile.blogspot.com

If I wasn't so lazy and dead tired I'd probably submit some funky ideas followed by weird art that would most likely not be in an average teen girls room...maybe a moody Japanese girl's room... but not American. -sigh-

I'm very happy for you Tavi-kinz. ;3 You're definitely a very successful young girl and I'm sure you will continue to be successful. You have such a way with finding the right people...let me know when you have connections with costumers. That's what I'm all about..costumes *~* and bazaar things.

wow, if this doesn't sound amazing! Godspeed! i don't doubt that its gonna be a huge success. damn, i'm not even close to being a teen anymore, and i'm looking forward to read that mag! please try to make it available overseas, at least by subscription! this is also the first time i really envy you ^_____^best of luck! bet in 24 hours tops you'll drown in mails ^__^

Well doesn't this sound like a breath of fresh air. Well if you could hear a breath of fresh air that is. But hopefully i can contribute as i'm kind of on the otherside of the world. Still. Sounds just great.

wonderful!i'm keen on it. hope my american friends can send me one or two issues , because i live in germany and we really heven't got good fashion magazines like sossy, expect vogue and elle and they're so expensive in here. </3

Wow. I'm excited. I was the Sassy generation and as a high school librarian, I can assure you that this is what the magazine market is missing. While I see myself as more of a reader than a writer, I just might try to submit something.

I love your blog so much. Personally, I adore style and I see you do too. I got inspired to start blogging about my fashion when I heard about your blog from my sister. So one night, at 11 PM, I sat on the couch and blogged for the whole night. I really love what you're doing and its such an inspiration to me personally to see that there is someone else out there that loves fashion and doesn't care what anybody else thinks as much as I do. I would love if you checked out my blog and maybe gave me some feedback? Its- www.alifeinthefashionlane.blogspot.com

Tavi, this is truly incredible! I'm in the process of starting up a 'zine for my campus about female sexuality & feminism, so I love hearing about these kinds of things! Best of luck to you, and I can't wait to be a regular subscriber!! :D

i can't believe i survived my teen years without such a thing. All you lucky girls coming up in the '10s! I, of course, will be the too-old-for-teen-mags lady subcribing and devouring your magazine. but then again, i still play with colouring books...

Well, this is eerily coincidental. I was hoping to keep it on the down-lo, but I've been working on probably my most "feminist" blog entry for almost a month now. A month sounds insane, but... well, it's going to be published hopefully on the 30th. There's no way I can make the deadline of the 19th (perfectionist, compulsive tendencies), but maybe when the time comes you'd appreciate seeing it anyways.

So exiting! I knew this was going to happen when I saw the video of your speech on this topic- you were so articulate and inspiring. I believe that the timing is right. The cultural black hole that has subsumed the past 15 or so years of mass media has to come to an end. I just fired off a submission so I hope it isn't too hasty. I forgot to include my age and location in the e-mail, which are 27 and Milwaukee, Wisconsin respectively. Thank you for bringing this idea to fruition and good luck xo

I'd be overjoyed if I was picked to help out with this magazine! It sounds like magic.

I just shot you a rather in-depth e-mail in a hope that I've captured what I'm all about, what my aspirations for participation would be, etc. Hope it's not overwhelming in its length, and feel free to ask me more questions if I haven't touched on something you'd like to hear more about.

I actually clapped my hands with glee and let out a repressed squeal when I read this. (NOTHING to do with the tv show people!). Submitting something in 6 days will require a level of organisation to which I am not usually accustomed but heigh ho let's give it a go. (Wow, that's gonna be my new catchphrase. What a creative evening!). Also, as I'm sure you know-or maybe not?-there was an article about you in the Daily Telegraph Saturday magazine today. It felt kind of weird...like, your blog is for fashion-y people and there it was being held up for comment to most of middle-class England! Strrange.

This is really, really amazing. Sassy quite literally changed my life (contrary to popular beliefs, rural southwestern Pennsylvania wasn't awesome in 1990) and let me know there were loads of other things going on outside of my teenage bubble. I'm super excited to see what you guys make happen. Congrats!

Tavi, this rocks! I never read Sassy, was too young, but I interned at JANE in college so you've got my full intrigue and support in this endeavor -- creative collaborations like this are rare...embrace every moment!

okay, whoa, this is totally awesome i'm so tired of getting the same crappy mainstream stuff that's supposedly unique and interesting out of teen vogue and 17...I LOVE THE 90's!!! they were the best decade...sooo cool...i'm glad i was born in them...you will definitely be receiving something in the e-mail....

Oh Tavi, that's so exciting!! As an original loyal reader of Sassy, I'm absolutely thrilled to hear that there may be a "Sassy 2.0" for my daughters to read someday! Of course, they're only 2 and 4 years old, so I'm expecting wild success from you, girl! Best of luck!

This sounds really awsome, i'm a teenager (16) and those justin beiber magazines really don't talk to me at all. A magazine like that would be great (espetially if it has a really artistic approach since i love art :) )

It would have a great reader base in Montreal because it really is Hipster-town here :) i lovee my city

If i could do ANYTHING to help out, i would really love to.

I THINK YOU SOULD CREATE A GROUP OF TARGET POPULATION TO CONSULT ABOUT IDEAS

(i put it in bold because if you don't bother reading through my text, it's the main idea i would like you to get )

Wow now... stop the bus! This has got to be some of the most exciting news I've read in a while. A really good magazine is definitely what my 15-year-old self was lacking (heck, even my 19-year-old self struggles)

Anyway, I would totally contribute, except I'd have no idea where to even begin... so, best of luck! x

I just have to wonder what you'll do when everyone's dressing like you.

PS - why can't i have my own identity in the comments? why does it have to be through a mega-service? you don't seem like the kind of person that would force fans into a digital id grid. maybe it reduces comments you don't want if you remove folks ability to choose their own identities? that's why they call it a slippery slope.

I hope your magazine will be online too, 'cos you could add animation/videos and music and reach an international audience which would be cool.

Ohohoh you should totally approach Sara Ziff and see if she'll write a long article for you. And it'd be funny to do a "spot the bad photoshop" series, puncture the whole barbie aesthetic a little.

Also a really really cool thing to do would be an "how I got here" interview series inspirational women. Not neccessarily women who are in the mainstream public eye. Like Garance Dore is doing a 5-parter atm, Zaha Hadid would be amazeballs, Annie Leibovitz, writers, company directors, judges.... anyone who has been successful, talking about the bad and the good and what they did to get there.

Tavi! I sent an article i wrote, it was super impulsive but i was on this i just drank three cans of red bull vibe! I super excited!!! ogod i hope that this magazine is created. I'm 14 but i think that our generation is lacking something like this.roma

Wow !! I'm so excited this project is amazing , I really want to be a part of it :)I hope I'll succeed because I'm passionate about writing and fashion. I have a fashion blog if you want to check it out :

Bets of luck tavi, i know your are gonna be really succesfull!I'm from Brazil...take a look at my blog! I really love yours...Thanks anyway and best of luck! you deserve!xox liboeLITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING

Congratulations! It's always wonderful to hear of a new teen magazine, particularly one in which actual teens will have serious input! I'm always recommending new markets to the teen writers I know, so I'll tell them about this new venture and, once it's up, I'll be sure to put it on my webpage.

Hey Tavi! I came across your tumblr page and noticed how interested you are in Hole. Maybe you know them alreay but I had to strongly suggest you to listen to The Slits. Have fun listening!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOJs9oycX5E

This is such a great idea. I love that you're looking to your reader community for submissions and ideas. I wish I had some kind of talent to offer but I'll be happy to be one of your readers when the magazine comes out. I don't know what the kids are into half the time but I get the feeling that a magazine project between you and Jane is going to speak to this almost 30 something.

I'm form Portugal, my name's Ruben. I just wanna suport your ideia and job, and please try that "your" magazine arrives to Portugal. I'm a guy and i love fashion, and a small contry like this is kind of hard to be a guy who loves fashion, and dresses differently. So we need more fashion from the outside. Once again, congratulations, and keep your amazing good taste.

I'm a big fan, as you're so unabashedly fashion friendly -in it's most unbiased form. I LOVE Sassy! I would gobble of any copy of the magazine that I could find back in Manila years ago. I love the ideals it promotes, the humour and the non-formulaic photography -which back then the masses couldn't understand and now is all over the place. For me it was the most real form of print media and I could very well relate.

In California and now and was just as sad as I was then when Sassy disappeared. Though I did love Jane too...but that's been long gone so this great news is something I looking forward to.

I would love to say I'd help with photographs but I don't get a camera till Christmas.Nevertheless, thank you Tavi and Jane! I'm excited!

I grew up reading Sassy, and I'm ecstatic to hear that the essence of the mag shall be resurrected!And dude, my biggest 14-year-old accomplishment was getting the cute boy in my English class to notice me (if you count a pencil pass as noticing). So go you.

My name is Nell & I am an arts & entertainment writer in NYC. I would absolutely love to be involved in one way or another.

Would you please consider accepting an application from me at this point in time? If so, please allow me to send you links to my past & current outlets, a resume & a little bit more about myself. Just wanted to post this ASAP.

hey there, is there any way to know if people have or have not been contacted yet? i suppose i could wait two more days until it's no longer early january, but thought i'd give this a shot. thanks for your patience!

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